In a typical conventional label applicator, a label having one face coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive is removed from a backing strip or web and supplied to a grid. The label is retained against the grid by vacuum pressure applied to the inner face of the grid. When an article to be labeled reaches an appropriate position at the labeling station, a blast of gas, such as air, transfers the label from the grid to the article, and the pressure sensitive adhesive adheres the label to the article.
The typical conventional label applicator as described above is dependable and most satisfactory for many labeling operations. However, the labeling of articles with relatively small labels introduces special problems. For example, small labels are difficult for the equipment to handle. In addition, it has been found that small labels cannot be blown by an air blast for relatively large distances because small labels are not stable in flight over long flight paths from the grid to the article to be labeled. It is not possible to convey the articles to be labeled past the grid in close enough proximity to the grid to avoid a long flight path for the labels because other components of the label applicator, such as the peeler bar, obstruct such a close-proximity path.